A Four-Legged Lesson

Ever had the privilege to take a dog for a walk?  We used to have a massive Bull Mastiff/Boxer mix, his name was appropriately Tank; and he didn’t allow you to “walk” him.  In fact, instead of a leash, this dog was given to us with a bright red, horse leading ropes with the huge clasp on the end.  Kind of an oxymoron: a lead rope…let me break it down to you a bit more.  When this large, athletic dog got on this rope he didn’t wait for you to take the lead at which time he would settle in to lethargically follow along…..NO!....he would literally take us for the ride of our life quite literally.

The exact opposite would be a short, stubby English bulldog we had as part of the family for quite a while.  Ole Tater Bug…fat, lazy, full of wrinkles.  Now, you put her on a leash and you’d nearly have to pull her before she’d get up and follow.  Talking about two extremes here!  Do you get the picture?

Then there are those special service dogs who are trained to guide the blind.  That person doesn’t just take this dog out for a walk, it relies upon it to lead and guide at all times.  When crossing an intersection, this person must allow this four-legged animal to take control and have faith that it will see the way clearly and protect from any obstacle that might come their way until they reach the other side.

This leads me to a new revelation the Lord gave me last evening.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…He LEADETH me beside the still waters.”  Psalm 23:1-2

Do you know that the Lord walks ahead of us?  He is our guide who leads us!  That means there is nowhere you or I can go that He don’t allow and go BEFORE us.  If there be harm or hazard of any kind ahead…He knows and will remove it, redirect our path or allow us to face it head on.  It’s His choice…it’s His path!  He is responsible for my protection and safety as long as I follow and not take the lead like Tank. 

My friend, isn’t it good to know that NOTHING takes our Guide by surprise?  No matter what evil lurks ahead or what dark shadows are behind, the Lord is in control of our life if we’ve submitted our will to Him.  It is His responsibility and good pleasure to see His children safely through if we will only trust Him.  He is the perfect Guide:  all knowing, all powerful and everywhere…what great characteristics of someone we can trust to lead us in the right paths.   Remember, He is not like Tank or Tater...will you take His hand and allow Him to be your guide today?  He doesn't do lead ropes!

Dear Jesus, please take my hand today.  I know you are gentle and kind,

that you will lead me through every unknown path in life, and that you will

never leave my side.  Help me to follow along in your footsteps…and I

will make it to the other side of every situation.